A user can use a browser to access content distributed on networks, such as the Internet. A user typically accesses the network with a client device that runs the browser. The browser uses a network resource indicator, such as a universal resource locater (“URL”), to find and access desired content. The browser sends a request to a web server and receives back a response, typically an HTML file, for display on the client. The user can also use a URL to launch an application hosted by the web server that is available over a network.
A portal is a network resource that serves as a gateway and/or anchor point for a user. The portal provides information about the network and/or network services to the user. Services offered by a portal can include a network directory, a facility to search for other network resources, and the display of content, such as news, weather information, schedules, stock quotes and the like, from other network resources. An enterprise information portal is a type of portal that serves as a gateway to resources on an enterprise's network. For example, a corporation may have a corporate portal to access the company's information and knowledge base. The corporate portal can be accessible to employees, customers, business partners, and/or the general public. Portals can be customized and/or personalized. For example, the portal can determine the particular content (e.g., certain portions of a data source) that is displayed and/or how that content is displayed. The portal can base this determination on the user, the client, and/or the requested content.